47 Resources for People Who Love to Write but Can Never Find the Time
Tugs at your soul, doesn’t it?
You love to write. You always have.
But honestly — who has the time?
Not only do you have a job and family and friends, but there are a gazillion tiny distractions popping up on your cell phone 24 hours a day, all interesting, all seemingly important, all keeping you from what you were born to do:
Write.
The good news?
2017 is your year. This year, you’re going to make it happen.
Here’s how:
Put Your Ass in That Chair
Having the time to write, and using that time to write, are two very different things.
In fact, many people who perceive that they have too little time actually just fail to take advantage of spare time when the opportunity arises.
It doesn’t matter how much time you find for writing if you can’t consistently get your ass in that chair.
So use the following resources to help you to win the motivation game:
- Mentally prepare yourself for the realities of what’s ahead by reading this letter to beginning writers.
- Visit the Writer’s Relief blog to get 100 words of encouragement from five different writers who understand what it’s like to struggle.
- Stick around on the same blog to read more tips on staying motivated to write.
- Feeling sneaky? Use these 10 tricks to motivate yourself to write.
- Find your tribe and get fired up by this passionate writing community on Reddit.
- Or go all-in and take yourself off to a writing retreat.
Set a Blazing Fire in Your Belly
An inspiring goal will cut through procrastination and bullshit like a hot knife through butter.
You’ll wake excited to work. Time will magically appear in your calendar. And finding focus when you sit down to write will be easier than ever.
Conversely, writing time without a clear goal easily becomes wasted time. It’s the writer’s version of busywork — it looks and feels like writing but produces little of value.
The following resources will show you how to create goals that make finding writing time a cinch:
- Decide whether you’re an “artist author” or a “professional author” and set your goals accordingly.
- Apply this six-step system for setting writing goals you’ll actually stick to.
- Or use these 7 questions to help you set meaningful goals as a writer.
- Find out what best-selling author Seth Godin believes is one of the main goals of a being a writer.
- Download this handy workbook for the goal-oriented writer that will help define and organize your writing goals.
- Use these six steps to make sure your goals are grounded in reality.
- Or use these questions from Prolifiko to validate them.
- Watch this TED talk about why you might want to keep your goals to yourself.
Feed the Body to Fuel the Brain
How often have you had the time to write but didn’t take advantage of it? Maybe you didn’t feel like writing. You weren’t in the mood for it. It happens sometimes, right?
Well, you can blame it on an absent muse or just accept that your mind doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Your physical state affects your mental state. The body is the vessel for the mind.
If your body feels tired and sluggish, your brain is unlikely to produce its best work. (Which is another great reason for getting up early to write.)
Use these resources to help your body support a focused, creative mind:
- Discover which are the creativity superfoods in Articulate Marketing’s guide, What writers should eat.
- Once writing, keep your brain fuelled with the right healthy snacks.
- Find out what people on Quora believe are the best foods for serious writers.
- For fun, you could try eating like your favorite authors.
- If your appetite is still not quelled, check out Jane Hu’s Writer Food From A To Z.
- See how moving your body could sharpen your mind with this research.
- Check out this fitness routine for writers.
Stop Saying “Yes” to Every Damn Thing
Let’s face it, many of the tasks and responsibilities that squeeze your writing time get put on your plate by someone else.
And that’s fine — unless you only said “yes” because you couldn’t find a nice way to say “no.”
Because here’s the thing, tasks you begrudge don’t just steal time from your writing, they sap your mojo too.
If you’re serious about finding more time to write, you’ll need to retrain your inner people-pleaser to be less of a pushover and more of an asshole.
Check out these resources to discover how to say “no” without burning too many bridges:
- Follow these 21 tips from Psych Central for saying no.
- Use this simple email script to say no to someone (even a good friend) who’s asking for help.
- Borrow one of these handy phrases for saying no in a way that doesn’t make people regret they asked.
- Learn how to say “no” in specific scenarios with this guide from Fast Company.
- Check out 100+ answers to the question “How do I learn to say no?” on Quora.
Go Over to the Dark Side
There’s something magical about starting your work in those dark, early hours when few others are awake.
In fact, getting up early to write feels like unlocking a secret level in your favorite video game. Once you’ve done it, you can’t believe you didn’t discover it sooner.
Not only that, but your writing benefits from a well-rested brain, which does wonders for your focus and creativity. And when the session is over you can start your normal routine smug in the knowledge that you have already met your writing quota for the day.
The following resources will help you release your inner morning person:
- Discover why waking early is the 1-step plan for super-productivity — and learn exactly how to do it.
- Review this infographic from Funders and Founders for some handy visual tips about getting up early.
- Join the 5 a.m. club with the help of this video from best-selling author Robin Sharma.
- Still need convincing of the benefits of rising early to write? Read a fellow skeptic’s account of her experiment with early morning writing.
- If you’re a self-confessed night owl, you’ll probably need these quick tips for making early mornings work for you.
Embrace the Drudgery
There is tremendous power in repetition.
Writing habits, routines, and rituals — all create working patterns that make success almost inevitable.
Make yourself a slave to the routine, and the results will follow — or so the theory goes. But many writers can attest to the power of repeated effort marshaled in the right direction.
Of course, you need to repeat the right things — and what works for you may not work for others.
But if you use the following resources to create — or inspire — your habits and routines, you’ll create a system for success:
- Learn how to build your own writing routine that starts where you are right now.
- Check out these 16 tools to help you develop a daily writing habit.
- Read James Clear’s guide to the daily routines of 12 famous writers.
- Or visualize the working patterns of 26 famous creative people — including Haruki Murakami, Kurt Vonnegut, and Maya Angelou — with this colorful chart.
- Feeling adventurous? Try one of these strange writing rituals from famous writers like Truman Capote.
- Read Grammarly’s list of healthy writing habits you can adopt today.
Tie Yourself to the Mast
If you’ve ever tried to stick to a regular exercise routine, you’ll know that getting yourself to the gym is the hardest part. Once there you do the work because, well frankly, hanging around a gym and not exercising is a little creepy.
It’s the same for writers. If you have a dedicated space for your writing, you’ll find it much easier to write once you’re there. (And your brain will start to associate the location with writing, making it quicker to get in the zone.)
That’s why you need to find a place where not writing is harder than writing.
The following resources will help you find your perfect writing spot:
- Start by reading this list of 22 places to write when you’re tired of writing at home.
- Find inspiration to fuel your writing by experimenting with these completely unexpected places to discover your muse.
- Or get inspired by these real-world special spots where successful authors go to write. (Heck, you might even live near one of them.)
- If leaving home isn’t an option, recreate the soundscape of your local coffee shop using Coffitivity.
- But wherever you go, be sure not to be seduced by The Myth of the Perfect Writing Environment.
Get Your Other Sh*t Done Quicker
If you really have no space for writing in a typical day, you only have one option.
You need to get your other work done quicker.
Counterintuitive, right? To get more writing done, you need to get better at the non-writing stuff.
Because it’s a zero sum game — less time spent on everything else means more time for writing.
So if you’ve shunned personal productivity in the past, now’s the time to get your house in order.
Check out these resources to discover how to do it:
- Give yourself a crash course in productivity systems with The Ultimate Guide to Personal Productivity Methods from popular app-maker Todoist.
- Learn how productivity works with another handy infographic from the folks at Funders and Founders.
- Watch Marie Forleo talk about prioritizing your tasks and learn her one tip that does it all.
- Head over to Medium and read Product Hunt’s list of 32 of the Best Productivity Tools You’ll Ever Need.
- Finally, find out what Quora users think are the ultimate productivity apps.
Let’s Make This Your Best Writing Year Yet
Can you feel it yet?
The gentle pull of destiny.
It’s drawing you toward the work you were born to do — writing words that change people’s lives.
And the more time you spend on your craft, the stronger that pull becomes.
It knows you have something important to say.
It yearns for you to put your ideas out into the world.
It demands that you start taking action.
Just remember, 2017 is your year.
And you now have all the resources you need to succeed.
So, are you ready to make it happen?
![The Epic Content Cycle: 10 Steps to 10X Content [Infographic]](https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/epic-content-cycle-infographic-v2-300x200.png)
Jan 13, 2017 @ 08:57:40
I like to have a set schedule, first thing in the morning I get rid of all the crap, like emails etc. Then I check what’s been posted on my favorite blogs overnight so I can read and comment if relevant.
Then I set aside 2 hours for research or writing. I used to get disappointed if I couldn’t write a blog post in 30 minutes, now 30 days is ok if it’s valuable and delivers
Jan 14, 2017 @ 18:00:14
Hey Mark,
Thanks for sharing your routine. I’m like you in that I actually like to get some of my digital “chores” – like checking email – out of the way first thing in the morning. I find it clears the deck for more creative work.
And I agree that whether a post is valuable is the most important yardstick, not how long it takes to write.
Thanks for stopping by.
Cheers,
Glen.
Jan 13, 2017 @ 10:35:49
Dear Glen,
Thanks for putting this post together. Very Thoughtful. Timely.
My personal favorite: Go over to the Dark side.
I can’t agree more with this strategy to get sh*t done.
My reading and writing chores ever since I started with Guest Blogging program and SBO have claimed the ‘darkness’ to stay focused and grounded.
I will take some time to read through the list as I drafted a morning and evening ritual based on the tools I already use and I am sure I might find something better to adapt to.
Determination, Persistence, Patience are virtues that indeed flame a spark into a burning desire!
Desire to Write. Desire to Contribute!
With these tools, my 2017 will get off to a blazing start!
Sincerely,
Chetan
Jan 14, 2017 @ 18:09:44
You’re welcome Chetan!
Sounds like you’ve created some great rituals already. 🙂
I think you’re all set up to have a great 2017.
Cheers,
Glen.
Jan 13, 2017 @ 10:42:20
Wow Glen, you are directly talking to me. I go to bed with the aim of waking up early in the morning to write and do thorough research. Yes i do wake up at the set time-but now it becomes email checking,facebooking,of cause of messages from freelance groups and Youtubes and whenever there is a notification from Twitter,i click to check what message it is. By the time i remember what my priority was, its 12AM. After reading your post,i think i will set a time for emails and social networks later after doing what am supposed to do-writing and researching.
Jan 14, 2017 @ 18:20:14
Hi Salim,
I think you’re already doing the hard part – getting up early!
Have you ever tried not switching on your computer or your phone and just writing with pen and paper?
It’s old school I know but there are fewer distractions. Why not give it a try and see how you get on?
Cheers,
Glen.
Jan 13, 2017 @ 11:48:39
Good article with 47 amazing resources. thanks a lot. I am a blogger too and I will check these link right now.
Jan 14, 2017 @ 18:22:56
Thanks Ellenor!
Jan 13, 2017 @ 11:49:45
Hi Glen,
Do you have created this post to help writers ? I think these resources are enough to put ass in chair and just read them on by one and then leave seat without writing a single word.
What are you doing man…………..
Jan 14, 2017 @ 18:27:31
Ha! You might be right. But maybe once you’ve studied all the resources, the next time you sit down to write, you’ll write twice as much. 🙂
Jan 13, 2017 @ 12:44:10
Whoooaaa… Glen exceeded yourself this time, finally, a post with info I can truly apply today, Great resources! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. Nice to meet you, and have a wonderful day!
Jan 13, 2017 @ 14:43:02
Glen,
Thank you for this. I appreciate you including fitness and nutrition as part of a writing routine.
What this all boils down to, for me, is “you just have to do it.” I’m reminded of your post “Why you don’t have time for your blog” (not sure if this is the exact title), but in that post you dig under the surface and state the real reason we don’t have time for our blog, or writing, or other things for that matter, and it’s “uncertainty.”
Uncertainty, and fear, are the biggest momentum and confidence killers that, if we allow them, will put us in a state where we will look for mundane activities to divert our minds and soothe our fears.
I’m keeping this list for future reference, and I’m off to share it…
Keep up the great work!
Jan 13, 2017 @ 17:14:46
Glen, great collection of useful articles for each of the point. A must read for any blogger who is genuinely interested in raising their game.
Your point about writing in the morning is interesting. For a long time, I left the writing for evenings and night time after a busy day at work, the results were slow and below-average. Your body just doesn’t cope up with the situation.
I switched to writing in the morning and straight away found a difference. Your just feel more energetic and creativity comes more naturally. Cheers.
Jan 14, 2017 @ 18:40:46
Hey Ahmad,
Glad to hear the morning writing is working out for you. 🙂
Writing in the evenings and at night time certainly works for some, but for most of us it means most of our mental energy has already been used up before we put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard.)
Keep up the good work!
Glen.
Jan 13, 2017 @ 19:24:07
Thanks for this timely virtual nudge Glen!
Also, I like to force myself into a speed challenge. Like I’d word vomit (on a certain topic) my predecided word count WITHIN a limited time frame.
E.g. I have to speed-write 500 words in 20 min on How to Make Time to Read.
Then I leave the text to marinate till the next day and edit with a fresh mind.
Jan 14, 2017 @ 18:46:17
Hi Hena,
I love your method. Introducing constraints like that can be really effective.
It’s a great way of separating your writing from your editing process too.
Thanks for sharing!
Jan 14, 2017 @ 00:12:18
Great article….nice links too. As a blogger i will definately try these
Jan 14, 2017 @ 03:42:40
Hey Glen,
People make excuses of not having the time to write. I agree with your point of using the time to write instead of not having the time.
Learning about your own is more important than ever. Know your writing skills and embrace them.
I have realized that I used to say “Yes” to everything. Whether it’s about writing for a Magzine or just for a simple old blog.
I was so damn into writing but my strategy was not good.
During the last two years, I have tried hard to understand the concept of brand writing.
Knowing about your food is something which is required to live. People at Quora are really into these things.
You can see the studies, everyone is recommending a healthy diet to maintain your body.
Sit on the chair and start writing. That’s the only thing which should be done.
Knowing about your dark side can be really intimidating. People don’t really face such things.
But to change your habits, it’s important.
Writing isn’t just about you, the whole world waits for you to deliver an informative guide.
Thanks for this wonderful article.
Have an awesome weekend.
~Ravi
Jan 24, 2017 @ 08:53:53
Hi Ravi. Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I love your remark that the world is waiting for you to write – that’s a motivating thought for sure. Cheers, Glen.
Jan 14, 2017 @ 11:11:38
I always emphasize to new and existing affiliate and content marketers about the importance of pulling up a blank Microsoft Word document and just start typing those rambling thoughts in the back of your mind from scratch and proofread before publishing. The reason I tell people to do this is because it opens them to the experience of gaining leverage in your writing endeavors. I agree with you that people can potentially generate income and a solidified online business venture if they take time to write and cater to their target audience. Taking time to write also allows the affiliate marketer-content creator to vent their current frustrations they’re feeling in the moment to their target audience which allows them to relate to what the writer is feeling. This is also a creative and unique way of letting the writer connect with their audience meaningfully while feeling some type of way in the moment and allowing their feelings turn into a profitable future online business.
A good thing to know about the Internet is that writing can create job security. Many people still don’t know that today and are either unemployed or working paycheck to paycheck. The beauty of the Internet is knowing that search engines thrive off of fresh content published daily to blogs and websites which gives the writer a feeling of hope knowing things they published to their website can produce job security “as previously mentioned.” Is all of what I’m saying here making sense? 🙂
Jan 14, 2017 @ 11:34:41
Fantastic article, Glen. I really appreciate how you thought of every excuse not to write…and then took them away, one by one. Thank you very much!
Jan 24, 2017 @ 08:52:08
Thanks Noah. I guess I’m just trying to make it really hard for you to not write. 🙂
Jan 14, 2017 @ 14:55:49
Great list of resources!
In 2017 I going to write and publish the most original high quality content I ever have. This post is PUTTING THE FIRE IN MY BELLY!
Jan 16, 2017 @ 08:48:51
Really awesome list you have got here. Being a newbie in blogging, I find that i struggle with the desire to impress my online audience, Thank you, Glen. Because writing’s mostly self-driven, sounds like the biggest challenge everyone have is themselves.
Jan 17, 2017 @ 10:49:41
Thanks for creating such a great post full of resources. It’s a complete post that will help me to to improve my writing skill. Thank You again.
Jan 17, 2017 @ 13:35:42
Wow, this is one of those articles that when you read it you think like “…I knew that” yet you never really acted upon what you were supposed to know 🙂
I am one of those pathological “Yes” man, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg, I truly realized that I have a lot of work to do in many areas in order to become more effective.
Thanks for this amazing list of resources!
Jan 24, 2017 @ 08:51:25
Yes – you’re right. Without action good advice is useless. Hope you managed to implement a few of these tips.
Jan 18, 2017 @ 22:07:13
Hi Glen
Extremely useful tips. Thanks for posting this and for sharing great resources.
I have found solution to my challenge in your last tip “Get your other sh*t done quicker”. This one is really powerful. Going to apply immediately.
Jan 24, 2017 @ 08:50:30
Hi Rajkaran,
Yes that was actually my favorite point too. Because our other work usually takes up a big part of the day, improving your productivity in those areas can actually free up a good amount of time for writing. Obvious when you think about it but easy to miss!
Cheers,
Glen.
Jan 20, 2017 @ 02:43:15
Great post Glen! I checked all the links/post you mentioned on this post and I really enjoyed reading them. These resources are really encouraging and motivating.
Jan 24, 2017 @ 08:48:34
Hey George. Impressed that you checked out all the links. Glad to hear it was worth the effort.
Jan 20, 2017 @ 10:19:56
Glen,
Loved your post. I had a good tummy laugh and yes so true. I am going to keep this one so I can remind myself when all those other demands distract me.
Jan 24, 2017 @ 08:47:33
Hey Susan. Glad I was able to raise a laugh – always a bonus! Hope you found some useful resources here. Thanks for stopping by.
Jan 20, 2017 @ 13:32:28
Glen,
I loved your paragraph titles. No time to read, or write my usually pretty long comments. At this time, I wanted to say that I always enjoy your writing — whether it is in a teaching capacity or just to feed us more valuable insights.
Jan 24, 2017 @ 08:46:40
Thanks Catherine! I do trying to spend extra time tweaking the subtitles to make sure they’re as attention-grabbing as possible. 🙂
Jan 20, 2017 @ 14:03:45
Thank you for your no B.S approach to kicking butt!! I needed that!
Jan 20, 2017 @ 15:11:21
What a resource! Thank you so much, Jon, for providing this. It’ll take a long time to fully make good use of all this help. <3
Jan 21, 2017 @ 10:42:26
Hi Glen,
Thanks for this toolkit. I am bookmarking this. I will keep coming back to pick the tips. Thanks again.
Jan 22, 2017 @ 08:28:25
Awesome list! Thank you!
Jan 24, 2017 @ 06:07:07
Hi Glen,
First of all, I would like to thank you for this innovative post. I sometimes wonder how you simply makes the things easier. I am very fond of writing for my blogs, but time doesn’t allows me. After going through this post I have gained some sort of energy that will boost me to write for my new blogs.
Thank you again 🙂
Jan 24, 2017 @ 08:55:17
Hi Pooja. Yes – energy levels are so important. Sometimes to blast through your writing roadblocks you just need enough energy. Glad to hear the resources in this post gave you a boost. 🙂
Jan 24, 2017 @ 06:29:25
Hey Glen.
Thanks, Glen. That was really helpful for everyone especially for a beginner who just started.
Thanks for writing such a beautiful and informative post. Ideas really helpful.
Jan 24, 2017 @ 08:55:38
Thanks Dmitry!
Jan 24, 2017 @ 07:31:51
That’s a great way of explanation. Experience matters a lot and that’s revealed here. Thanks for the great post.
Jan 24, 2017 @ 15:02:32
Hi Glen,
That’s absolutely wonderful article shared over here. Being a content writer, I really found this post useful. Just because of content writing work, I was focusing on my blogs, but after reading this article I am going to pay attention to my own blogs.
Thanks
Regards
Jan 25, 2017 @ 11:48:05
Laziness is indeed causing the end of many potential writers. But it is never too late to start. So if you want to follow your passion and inspire other people simply with your words start writing today. This is really an inspiring post that every aspiring writer should read. So to all future bloggers, remember the pen is mightier than the sword. Thus put these 47 resources to good use.
Jan 26, 2017 @ 01:14:08
I found that using the Pomodoro technique where you sit and work for 5 minutes and rest for five minutes work for me. It allows me to sit still and watch the tension as they come up so that I can ignore them and proceed working. It took me years to master it but it was worth the effort.
Jan 26, 2017 @ 01:17:10
It also helps to do it in the morning. Mornings are always cool and silent. Plus, people are still asleep so it is easier to work at a relaxed pace.
Jan 26, 2017 @ 01:19:04
It is important to commit. Sit down and commit to the task. That is the only way for you to get things done without the danger of distractions.